A Dodge Registry "Dark Thunder"

A friend of mine gave me this 1998 Dodge Ram 1500. The transmission wouldn't get out of 2nd and it needed some basic maintenance. He wanted to give it to a junkyard, but he called me up at work and asked if I wanted it. I said "Hell, yeah!" and brought it home a week later.


Specs:

5.2L V8 (230HP @ 4400RPM / 300 ft.lb. torque @ 3200RPM)
46RE 4-speed Auto
2WD
Single Cab Long Bed
3.55 Gear Ratio
9.25 Chrysler Rear Axle
ST w/ Cruise, A/C, and fogs
126K miles
Towing Capacity of 8000 lbs
Exhaust cut off after Cats
Class IV Hitch 10,000lb GTW

When I brought it home:

Now:

Flexing

Future Mods

Powertrax Lock Right Locker
Dual Battery setup
Better seats

That's pretty much it. I want more MPGs out of it than the measly 10-12 it has around town. The Scan Gauge will help with logging MPG gains and RPMs, and the filter will allow the engine to breath a little better.

Why is the truck jinxed, you say? The answer is simple. I cannot go 2 weeks in a row without something going wrong, be it my fault, general maintenance that's been ignored, or paperwork that's not been done right.

1. Title and Registration issues kept me from driving the truck for 6 months.
2. In trying to get the truck running, the battery craps out
3. When I finally get the truck legal, the radiator blows out on the highway.
4. That same week, I hit a guy who didn't pay attention to traffic, crunching in the fender and destroying the signal lens.
5. While that is being hashed out with the insurance company, the ball joints decide to do the rumba with my steering.
6. Took a while but got the joints done and then did a slide into "home" at 45, because the wheel fell off due to my negligence in checking the lugnuts.
7. With a destroyed knuckle and lower balljoint, I get the pleasure of fixing it in one of Houston's coldest winters.
8. Engine overheated. Nearly zero coolant in reservoir.
9. Transmission slipping out of gear randomly due to Powertrain module
10. While pushing the Explorer up on a trailer, the Ram gets a nose job from the trailer hitch when it kicks off the front rail.
11. Took the Ram on an unscheduled detour and while hopping a curb, I got stuck on the tranny cross member. Getting off required turning the the cross member into a pretzel.
12. Water pump blew out right before I left for Austin to get the part to fix the Explorer.
I know I should be getting the hint now, but I can't get over my attachment to this truck.

Maintenance 'n Mods

Interior
Replacement cup holders
Dash cover

Sound
Two 6x9 Kenwoods
Sony CD/USB/Radio head unit

Suspension/Steering
New Ball Joints
Refurbished driver's side steering knuckle
New inner and outer tie rods
New Gabriel Ultra shocks
New Pitman arm

Brakes
New Rotors and Pads

Drivetrain
New Governor and Governor Sensor for transmission
4 qts Valvoline Synth ATF w/ 1 qt of Lucas Tranny Fix
New Filter and Pan gasket for the Transmission

Engine
New Spark Plugs
New Filter
Oil Change every 4k
New Belt tensioner
New Belt

Exhaust
Cut off after Cats

Body
Fixed floppy antenna
New Wipers

Cooling/Heating
New Radiator
New Water Pump
Drier replaced
Liquid Line replaced

Wheels
265/70/16 Michelin LTX's
Chrome Stars

Lighting
Sylvania Silverstars Headlights
Fog Lights

Accessories/Mods
A.R.E "V" Model Bed Cap
Two 10k lb. Reese Tow Hooks
12v Power Socket in Truck Bed
CB Radio
Scan Gauge II
AEM Brute Force Cold Air Intake

 

[MrQ]

No, it ain't dirty. Just never got the hood up to take a picture. I will see what I can do, though its probably better to take of video of the engine to do it justice. The sound coming out of that glass pack just...says....power.

 

[MrQ]

Engine Vid. Sorry about the weird angles, had to lay my phone on its side.

Does that Ram no justice at all.

I also cleaned up the inside and got rid of those crappy plastic sun visors on the windows. One was broken in three places. They were a real pain to get off. That glue that they used must be made to withstand nuclear radiation.

 

[MrQ]

You know its weird, I get more info about my drive line from the jeepforum.com than a Dodge Ram specific forum. Why can't EF expand into Dodge country? Oh well...

 

[chezoom]

Dodge trannys are like fine china. you cant even think about them wrong and they will break. lol

 

[MrQ]

Dodge trannys are like fine china. you cant even think about them wrong and they will break. lol

I consider the A4LD to be under that heading as well.

 

[MrQ]

I replaced the plugs last night. When I worked on the truck when my friend still had it (in Feb) we gapped them at .035.It wasn't until after we installed them and actually looked on the radiator support with all the spec labels, that we found out that they needed to be at .040. Rather than pull them out and regap them, he decided to just run them like they were.

It wasn't till I tried to start the truck 3 days ago that I noticed it running really rough. I figured another tune-up was in the works. (If you read my Red Flyer registry you will know I like to do my plugs every 6 months) Replacing the plugs on that engine is so easy, it makes doing them on my Ex like climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. So 30 minutes later I cranked it over with the new regapped plugs and it idled like a dream. Found my blower would only work on defrost though. When I pulled the plugs I apparently snapped a vacuum line. Oops. Out comes the tape and I now have front air. Also dumped in a can of freon. $16

At the same time I cleaned out the truck. I think I beat Joe Dirts record of nearly 3 dollars in change. There was oil in all the back bins, dirt and crap everywhere, and some one dumped two lighters in the ashtray (which was missing its faceplate to begin with) and they leaked. Yuck! Pulled the ash tray cleaned it, found the faceplate in the bins and epoxied it on. Works like a charm now. Free

Tested the electric fan. Someone had cut the positive cable, but left enough for me to work with on the outside of the radiator shroud. Apparently its a 1-speed aftermarket fan. Its not too loud either which is good. Need to setup a controller, relay, and fuse to get it working properly. Definitely a nice bonus. $50

I am still working on the fog light situation. There are two relays, one external to the fusebox, and one inside, and one external 20 amp fuse. The outside relay apparently works. I do need to grab my dad's voltmeter and check the current. Hopefully, its just the relays and not the lights themselves. $6

The truck is definitely in need of new tires, they are going bald and cracking. Ball joints are shot and shredded and the shocks are just horrible. I will always say, students are the worst people to get vehicles from. They just never take care of them. However, for getting it for free, I guess I can't complain. $675

The tranny needs a flush and filter. Apparently the governor fluid sensor (different than the actual governor) is a big time trouble maker for these tranny's. That's an $80 fix right there. This should get the tranny back on its feet.

I guess I just bought the truck for all the work I am doing and going to do, that's not even counting labor.

I am so happy.

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

So what is going to happen to the Ram now? Will it stay in the family?

 

[MrQ]

Until the guy shows up with the title its still up in the air. There is a $100 in tranny parts that it needs, the DMV ludicrously wants $250 to register it in my name (they say the truck is worth $3900) plus $40 to actually get the tag, $60 monthly to get it insured and finally another $40 to get it inspected.

That's $500 (not allowing for Murphy) just to get it on the road again. Oh yeah, I am definitely paying for this.

Then it needs new tires badly, ball joints are toast, and shocks are pitiful. Also the paint is getting bad, it has an exhaust leak somewhere, the windshield is cracked, and the engine likes to go on an oil binge every once in a while.

The question is, is it worth it? The answer is, YES. A truck, especially a v8 is invaluable in any capacity. More than likely I will just have to work on it a little at a time and one step at a time, just like I did with Red. Thunder will wait in the corral till the money tree shakes a little more cash into my pocket.

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

Ahh, if your not careful I'm sure you could easily spend $1k on the dodge to get it to a state of where you want it. I know thoes V8s in the Rams are good engines though, just gas suckers.

 

[MrQ]

The title looks like its coming through. Hopefully, by next week I will have it in hand.

 

[MrQ]

Where oh where is the title? :jeopardy theme:

 

[rookieshooter]

 

[MrQ]

Once I get the title for the truck I am honestly considering selling it to purchase a ranger. The gas mileage on the Ram is not stellar and for the job I am in, the more fuel efficient the vehicle the more money you make. Right now the Explorer pulls in 18, I need something better than that. I figure I find a ranger with a stick and maybe I will see 20+? What are your ideas guys?

 

[rookieshooter]

Well here's what I do...I handle it like a man..."Sweet wife on mine, can I borrow your cute little red Ford Focus"?

I get all kinds of looks and comments when I do drive it though. I just tell them that it's an age thing and has to do with my shrinking Testosterone count.

 

[MrQ]

If I am ever going to to drive a car again its going to be a 91-95 ford escort. I love those things. Peppy, fast, and gets great gas mileage. Mind you I look like a pretzel driving it, but I guess my savings can go to my chiropractor.

 

[MrQ]

I guess I was just thinking out loud. Sitting in the Dodge today and giving it a quick jaunt around the block (to keep the battery charged...among other things ) It is just too nice to give up. Granted, "nice" in my opinion is something that runs, has a decent interior, < 130k, and can pass inspection. Not very high standards, but heck I haven't owned and driven any vehicle newer than a '95. Besides with a 25 gallon tank I should get some distance out of it.

 

[MrQ]

Waiting for the Brown van to arrive Friday. I don't know why and I really don't care, but getting parts in any form makes me happy.

I ordered the tranny parts I need for the Dodge and they should fix the problem. I also need to get it registered, inspected, titled and insured, not necessarily in that order. Looks like I have my weekend cut out for me.

Also the Ram's battery died during our last cold snap, so I snatched Red's battery to get the Ram back into the driveway. Parts of my Explorer are going to end up on my truck...license plate frames for one.

 

[MrQ]

I HAVE THE POWER!!

Holds up triumphantly a white piece of paper with gold trim saying "Texas Title" on it.

Anyways after 5 months I now have the title to the Dodge. What a freaking nightmare. Hopefully, I will have it on the road Tuesday. That old Plymouth van is getting on in years, creaking and groaning all the time. No wonder my family nicknamed it "Granny."

 

[MrQ]

Got the new parts in. Now the tranny will shift, but not very well. I also got it through inspection and have been driving it to work and back for the past couple of days. Its a new experience. It doesn't feel as peppy as the Explorer, but there is more than enough oomph in the pedal to make you grin after showing a ricer the ass end of your truck.

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

So this now begs the question, what will be the fate of ol' Red?

btw what work did you do to the dodge's transmission. Doesn't sound like you took it out. Did you replace something like governor valve, solenoid, modulator or the whole valvebody? Just curious.